Ordnance projectile



Feb. 18, 1969 c. F. LUCY ORDNANCE PROJECTILE Filed Oct. 19, 1966 FIG?) FIG.2

INVENTOR CARL F. LUCY FIG.7

ATTORNEY United States Patent O 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE One problem in the increasing advanced design of weapons is the increase in the operational efficiency of the projectile. It has been found that the larger the proportion of the kinetic energy of the projectile which is absorbed by the target, the more effective that projectile is. This invention provides a projectile which spreads when it hits the target. By the distortion of the projectile, a substantially greater than normal proportion of the projectiles kinetic energy is transferred to the target, thereby increasing the efficiency of projectile operation. A soft material comrpises the core of the projectile, and the core is surrounded by a scored or cut jacket. When the nose of the projectile strikes the target, it begins to spread. The mass behind the nose continues to move forward causing the nose to spread more. The jacket, or casing, ruptures along the weakened lines to permit controlled spreading of the core. The unweakened portion of the jacket contains the covered part of the core in its normal, cylindrical configuration.

This invention relates to ordnance, and, more particularly, to improvements in projectiles which are used against soft targets.

During the long history of mans development of armament and weapons, many thousands of schemes have been tried and warefare equipment has been continually improved. In fact, there are special purpose weapons for all sorts of situations. In general, however, the projectiles themselves can be divided into two classes. There are those which are to be used against hard targets, and there are those which are to be used against soft targets. The desirable characteristics for the projectiles to be used against each type of target are different, and the projectiles must be designed for the particular type of target against which it is to be used. To illustrate, projectiles which are used against hard targets, such as tanks, could very well be armor-piercing. On the other hand, projectiles which are used against soft targets are often fragmenting.

The prime purpose of an armor-piercing projectile is to perforate a sheet of armor so that the destructive action can take place within the enclosure formed by the armor. In this type of operation, the projectile makes but a small hole. In fact, the size of the opening is seldom important. tProjectiles which are used against soft targets, on the other hand, must peform an entirely different function. A high velocity bullet used for killing big game is seldom effective if it merely passes through the target leaving but a small perforation behind. Therefore, the types of projectiles used for soft targets must perform differently from those used against hard targets.

When possible, fragmenting projectiles have been used against personnel. The fragmenting projectiles, in addition to covering a large area, also serve to penetrate the target in a plurality of locations. Thus, a fragmenting projectile is usually more deadly than a single projectile of the same size as one of the fragments. However, fragmenting projectiles are usually large, cumbersome, of limited range, and are diflicult to use with accuracy and without being immediately detected. Therefore, it is desirable to enhance the arts of war to provide projectiles of high accuracy while inflicting serious damage upon soft targets. One way to accomplish this is to transfer as much energy from the projectile to the target as possible.

It is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved projectile for use against soft targets.

It is another object of this invention to provide a new and improved projectile against soft targets, which projectile inflicts substantial damage for its size and velocity.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a new and improved projectile which will be readily deformed by impact with a soft target.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a new and improved projectile whose velocity is absorbed by deformation upon impact with a soft target.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become more apparent as the following description proceeds, which description should be considered together with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an expanded side view of a mass-stabilized projectile according to this invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the sleeve shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the projectile of FIG. 1 with the sleeve removed;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the projectile of FIG. 1 deformed after impact with a soft target;

FIG. 5 is a side view of a modified version of the projectile of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a side view of the projectile of FIG. 5 after impact with a soft target; and

FIG. 7 is a modification of the sleeve shown in FIG. 2.

Referring now to the drawings in detail and, more specifically, to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the reference character 11 designates a sleeve which contains within it a projectile formed of soft material having a body portion 16, a nose 12, and an aft portion 13 of smaller diameter. The sleeve 11 has weakened portions 14. A tail section 15 is generally cylindrical in nature and slips over the aft portion 13 to help stabilize the projectile in flight.

The projectile as a whole actually has three portions: a sleevle portion 11, a projectile 16 made of soft material which fits within the sleeve portion 11; and the tail section 15. In projectiles of this nature which are made to be fired from a reasonably small bore gun, which may or may not be rifled, the projectile required stabilization to prevent tumbling in flight. End-over-end tumbling of the projectile greatly reduces its range and renders its trajectory uncertain. To prevent this, the projectile is provided with a long tail 15. The tail portion 15 is usually hollow and of lightweight material although it may be formed with fins having an outside dimension no greater than the outside diameter of the cylindrical portion. In either case, the tail of the projectile is attached to the heavier forward portion. Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the sleeve 11 is shown in FIG. 2 removed from the metal projectile 16 shown in FIG. 3. Most of the weight of the over-all projectile lies in the heavy mass 16, and the center of gravity of the over-all projectile is therefore forward of center. Since the center of gravity is forward of the center, the tail portion 15 tends to stabilize the over-all unit in flight because deviation from the normal trajectory produces additional wind forces on the tail section 15, and these forces tend to overcome the initial deviation. The portions 12, 13 and 16 should be formed of a very soft but heavy material, such as a lead alloy. The sleeve 11 is also formed of a soft but ductile material, such as copper, and is made with weakened portions 14. In the example shown in FIGS.1, 2, and 3, the sleeve 11 has four weakened portions, but actually any suitable number may be used.

In operation, the entire assembly is projected forward in flight by any propulsion means, such as the normal explosion of gunpowder in a gun barrel. When the nose 12 of the projectile-strikes a soft target, the resistance provided by the soft target causes a deformation of the material of the nose 12, and of the body portion 16 shortening its length. The inertia of the larger mass of the body portion 16 and of the aft section 13 applies forces in the forward direction to the material of the nose 12, and the target applies forces in the rearward direction to the material of the nose 12. This causes a deformation of the material in the nose 12 tending to cause it to move rearwardly. Since the volume within the sleeve 11 is limited, the deformation of the material of the nose 12 (and also of the forward portion of the body 16) the weakened lines 14. The result is shown in FIG. 4 where the nose portion 12 has been deformed from its normal conical shape outwardly to form a blob forcing out the sleeve 11 into fingers 21, 22 and 23. This action is produced by the absorption of the forward energy of the projectile by the deformation of the soft material in the nose 12. As a result, the projectile enters the target small and enlarges within the target. This expanding action produces much more deadly effects in the target because more kinetic energy is transferred to the target. To achieve maximum benefits from the projectile of this type, the materials used must be sufficiently soft and dictile to deform with breaking. Should the projectile fragment within the target, its efiiciency would be reduced. It is, therefore, desirable to use materials which are soft enough to deform upon impact in the soft target, which are weak enough to tear during the deformation process, which are ductile enough to stretch while being deformed, but which are strong enough not to be pulled apart by passage through the target.

The projectile shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4 is but one example of a projectile which meets the requirements of this invention. Another example is shown in FIG. 5. A sleeve 31 contains a heavy mass of soft material which has a nose portion 32 and an aft portion 33. The sleeve 31 is weakened along lines such as those shown at 34. To maintain the drawing size small, the tail portion has been omitted from this figure.

In operation, when the projectile strikes a soft target, the material in the nose portion 32 is deformed by the rearward forces applied to the projectile by the resistance produced by the soft target. In the meantime, the momentum of the remainder of the soft material Within the sleeve 31 applies forces in the forward direction. More of the energy of the projectile itself is absorbed during deformation by the target. Since the sleeve 31 has a limited volume, the deformation and expansion of the soft material soon achieves rupturing of the sleeve 31 along the lines of weakness 34. The result is shown in FIG. 6 where the mass of soft material has been shortened, and the material has caused the sleeve 31 to rupture along the lines 34 to produce outwardly moving fingers 41, 42 and 43. Should the forces exerted by the target upon the expanded projectile be sufficiently great, the fingers 41,42 and 43 may be caused to fold back upon the outer circumference of the sleeve 31. For this reason, the material of the sleeve 31 should be sufficiently ductile to be able to stretch when bent backwardly without tearing off. As in the case with the projectile shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4, the device of FIGS. and 6 uses its forward energy upon impact with a soft target to deform the projectile itself and substantialy increase its diameter. Passage through the soft target therefore causes the expansion of the projectile which enters the target small and leaves large.

Th sleeve used in this projectile may be modified in several ways. In FIG. 2 the sleeve was shown having weakened portions 14 which extended from the forward edge of the sleeve backward toward the midpoint of the sleeve 11. In the case of the sleeve 11 of FIG. 2, the weakened portions 14 could be produced by etching, by scoring, or by otherwise weakening the sleeve itself. In FIG. 5, the

. causes. the cylinder 11. to expand until it ruptures along sleeve 31 is shown with weakened portions 34 which extend over about one-half of the length of the sleeve 31 but which are remote from either end. Again, the weakened portions 34 may be produced by etching, by scoring, or the like. In FIG. 7, a sleeve 51 is shown having slits 52 cut longitudinally from one end thereof toward the midpoint of the sleeve. The slits 52 form fingers 53, 54, 55 and 56. In the sleeve 51 of FIG. 7, the forces required to cause expansion of the fingers 53, 54, 55 and 56 are less than the forces required to cause the expansion of the sleeve 11 of FIG. "2 for the same material and thickness. No energy is absorbed by the tearing of the sleeve itself. Thus, if desirablgthesleeve 51 could have W 7 a thickness which is greater than that ofthe sleeve 11 where the weakened portions 14 do not extend completely through the wall of the sleeve. The energy which would be absorbed in the tearing of the sleeve 11 can be used in the operation of the sleeve 51 to force back the fingers 53-56. The end result in both cases would be about the same.

The above specification has described a new and improved projectile for use with improved lethal characteristics against soft targets. It is realized that many additional modifications of the apparatus described may be suggested to those skilled in the art by reading of this specification without departing from the principles of this invention. It is, therefore, intended that this invention be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A soft nosed projectile for use against soft targets, said projectile comprising a heavy generally cylindrical core of a soft material, said core having a central portion of a first diameter, an aft portion of a second diameter, and a generally conical forward portion having a base of a third diameter, said first diameter being larger than said second diameter and smaller than said third diameter, a hollow cylindrical sleeve adapted to fit over said central portion, the inner diameter of said sleeve being approximately the same as said second diameter and the outer diameter of said sleeve being approximately the same as said third diameter, the length of said sleeve being approximately the same as the length of said central portion, said sleeve being formed of a malleable materlal with weakened portions provided generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of said sleeve over less than the length of said sleeve, and a generally cylindrical hollow tail section, the inner diameter of said tail section being approximately equal to said second diameter and the outside diameter of said tail section being approximately equal to said third diameter, said tail section being formed of a material which is lightweight with respect to the weight of said core, said tail section being long with respect to said core so that the center of gravity of said projectile is well forward of its midpoint.

2. The projectile defined in claim 1 wherein said sleeve is weakened along a plurality of longitudinal lines which extend from the forward edge of said sleeve and proceed rearwardly less than the length of said sleeve.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 594,199 11/1897 Field 102-91 1,141,042 5/1915 Davis 244-33 X 1,276,892 8/ 1918 Fender 244-33 X 1,833,645 11/ 1931 Hartz 102-91 2,327,950 8/1943 Whipple 102-91 2,433,334 12/ 1947 Birreland 102-38 X FOREIGN PATENTS 307,038 3/ 1918 Germany.

ROBERT F. STAHL, Primary Examiner. 

